With unsettled/cloudy weather, it was to head out of town Saturday to the next county south, for a great visit to the amazing Conneaut Marsh (McMichael Rd location), known for Sora, Virginia Rail, and “beautiful-but-not-often-seen-at-Presque Isle State Park” Prothonotary Warblers.
No rail or Sora sightings on this trip, unfortunately. (The Soras were vocalizing off in the grass/marsh, so definitely around, but were keeping low/inconspicuous.) Could also hear the Prothonotary Warblers off in the surrounding woods, but it wasn’t until the rain almost hit that this beautiful ‘probably/maybe male‘ finally landed by the road:
The marsh is a huge, long expanse on either side of the outlet to Conneaut Lake, which eventually drains into French Creek. Surrounded/interspersed with forest, with much of it being public property in the form of State Game Lands Number 213. In this particular location, the marsh is laterally bisected by McMichael Road, which is handy otherwise this area would be functionally inaccessible (absent a boat):
Besides birds, a great location for both Beaver and Muskrat:
This individual seemed to lack the more greenish hue (on nape/head) of a female, but was unusual, perhaps, having a brown streak on the forehead:
Handily, there are artificial warbler nests in the flooded areas along the road, of the type which Prothonotary Warblers prefer (replicating a birch tree stump):
About the time the warbler landed at its nest, the rain switched to downpour mode = time to head out. Coming up soon, however, another great bird sighting at this location!